Electrophysiological Methods in Biological Research

Electrophysiological Methods in Biological Research, Third Revised Edition describes the principles and applications of significant electrophysiological methods as regards to transistorisation of electrophysiological apparatus and to the mathematical analysis of electrophysiological data. The book explains the aspects of physics and electronics that are important in electrophysiology, such as the basic principles of semiconductor function, electronic simulators, electrodes, and the processing of electrophysiological data. The text also cites several examples that measure the resulting membrane potential if one electrode is inside the cell while the other is in contact with the cell's surface. Other experiments show the electrophysiological techniques and the fundamentals of electrical activity in the peripheral excitable structures, and its association with physiological functions. In considering the problems of nerve and muscle physiology, the investigator should know the technique of recording the electrical signs of a nerve impulse. These signs, or action potentials, indicate the presence of a nerve impulse. The text also discusses the effects of barbiturates or ether anesthesia in EEG activity, as well as its dissociation after physostigmine and atropine have been administered. The book can prove useful for pharmacologists, microchemists, cellular biologists, and research workers and technologists dealing with neural mechanisms.